Amstel Gold Race -18th April -257km

[Libertine Seguros]

Team ethics and moreover Caisse is milking it until a worldwide ban has been issued ...

Also Caisse are searching for a sponsor for 2011, and want to hoover up as many points and wins as they can to appear more attractive to sponsors. As Caisse are in a PT slot and are guaranteed the major invites they can afford to put Ally Vally into any and all races they choose, whereas BMC are not guaranteed those invites and need to jump through hoops, so felt that internally suspending Ballan and Santambrogio was the best thing to do.

It's less team ethics (BMC are hardly ethical gods, being made up of ex-Phonak types as they are!) and more pragmatism based on their standing in the sport. The stronger you are, the less you have to yield.

 

[tgsgirl]

So, Cancellara for Wimbledon then?

 

[Cerberus]

So, Cancellara for Wimbledon then?

Yes, but only after he's won the Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Giro di Lombardia and Tour de France. After winning Wimbledon he'll help Switzerland win their first World Championship in Soccer.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Sounds like a though program. So is Contador replacing Nadal then?

 

[tgsgirl]

Only if he can find pants that are just too small.

 

[theswordsman]

Ah, fun times with Google Translate

And now for something completely different...Vacansoleil

Rob Ruygh, Wout Poels, Johnny Hoogerland, Arnoud van Groen, Björn
Leukemans, Matteo Carrara, Marco Marcato y Sergey Lagutin are the eight runners on Sunday Vacansoleil contest the Amstel Gold Race.

http://translate.google.com/transla...ite/noticias-ficha.asp?id=25196&sl=auto&tl=en

Leukemans has Katusha interested and will talk contract renegotiations with Vaca soon.

Edit: Astana

Allan Davis, Scott Davis, Dimitri Fofonov, Enrico Gasparotto, Andriy Grivko, Maxim Iglinskiy and Mirko Selvaggi are the seven corridors of Astana on Sunday contest the Amstel Gold Race.

Biciclismo.com

 

[flicker]

Riis is dilusional. Cancellara can not perform in Amstel/LBL.

Not the workingmans cyclists' type of course.

Now I am seeing the aftereffects of Riis PED doping. Pure dellusion.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well, I've seen Cancellara in Mendrisio (and Zürich a few years back), he can certainly perform in AGR/LBL, but to do that, he would need to skip Flanders and Roubaix and do Pays Basque instead, and drop 4/5kg

 

[theswordsman]

And Katusha

Ivanov, Klimov, Kolobnev, Mazzanti, Pozzato, Joaquim Rodriguez, Vantomme Vorganov and form the Katusha team played on Sunday's Amstel Gold Race.

Biciclismo.com

 

[sublimit]

Looking out for Vacansoliel rider Leukamans for the win and maybe Gilbert getting up there. Ignatiev can do well but only if he doesnt go in an early break and blow his chances like he tends to do..

 

[Christian]

Ah, "the race of a thousand turns," is with us again.
I wonder whether Frank Schleck is able to remember his win, in amongst all his crashes, here.

Funny story, actually - he crashed hard in País Vasco in '06 and then went on to win Amstel. This year he crashed again in País Vasco, so maybe it's a good omen ?!

Looks like Kirchen might not be riding, had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, otherwise I think he could have made the podium!

 

[Ferminal]

Sounds like a though program. So is Contador replacing Nadal then?

Who knows what they discussed in their gynecologist's waiting room.

 

[theyoungest]

Looks like Kirchen might not be riding, had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, otherwise I think he could have made the podium!

What has Kirchen done lately, to make you think that?

 

[flicker]

Ah, "the race of a thousand turns," is with us again.
I wonder whether Frank Schleck is able to remember his win, in amongst all his crashes, here.

Also does Fraanke remember those transfussions by Dr. Fuentes prior to his win?

 

[Christian]

What has Kirchen done lately, to make you think that?

Everything ran smoothely in his preparation so far this season except for now last week, so that was a pretty good sign. I'm sure that if he's been able to participate in GP Denain and Brabantse Pijl he'd done good as well.

Also does Fraanke remember those transfussions by Dr. Fuentes prior to his win?

See ya in "The Clinic" bro

 

[flicker]

I just want to see Fraanke have an exceptional showing Sunday.

 

[luckyboy]

Odds on Saxo Bank winning all of April's major classics (Ronde, P-R, Amstel, Fleche, L-B-L)?

 

[jaylew]

Strong squad from Katusha even without Kirchen.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Strong squad from Katusha even without Kirchen.

they have a great team. A few guys in that team capable of winning this kind of race.

 

[Glockers]

Might go with Kroon in this. If Kirchen rides that is a liklihood, but the Andy Schleck is out of form so it leaves it a bit wide open. I like Gilbert too and even Cadel Evans.

Some have been critical of BMC, but with Kroon, Backstedt and Evans they have a couple of options. Might make them a dangerous team in this.

But for a crazy outsider that no one is looking at how about Scott Davis with Astana? He climbs better than his brother and has a decent kick at the finish.

Is there any chances of sprinters making it to the finish? I see Freire, Allan Davis and Gil are all in this race.

 

[issoisso]

Funny story, actually - he crashed hard in País Vasco in '06 and then went on to win Amstel. This year he crashed again in País Vasco, so maybe it's a good omen ?!

Doubt it. He won in 06 because no one considered him a threat, so when he went, nobody cared.
When they realized he had a chance, it was far too late.


I actually remember that race better than any other edition. Simply because I spent all of it thinking "Did Wesemann fall into a cauldron of EPO when he was little?"

Wesemann attacked 4 times, always at dumb, dumb times. Those were powerful attacks, though. The pack tried, but couldn't hold his wheel. Every time he was eventually caught......eventually........after tremendous effort. He bolted a 5th time near the end and dropped everyone for good, but Schleck was too far up the road by then.

Textbook example of how you can be miles stronger than anyone else and still throw away the race

 

[auscyclefan94]

Might go with Kroon in this. If Kirchen rides that is a liklihood, but the Andy Schleck is out of form so it leaves it a bit wide open. I like Gilbert too and even Cadel Evans.

Some have been critical of BMC, but with Kroon, Backstedt and Evans they have a couple of options. Might make them a dangerous team in this.

But for a crazy outsider that no one is looking at how about Scott Davis with Astana? He climbs better than his brother and has a decent kick at the finish.

Is there any chances of sprinters making it to the finish? I see Freire, Allan Davis and Gil are all in this race.

I do agree with you but BMC had on paper a very strong cobbled classics squad. They failed. Hincapie peformed alright on the cobbles with 4th in gw and 6th in flanders but the other just flopped. I think some of those sprinters will find the continous short climbing a bit too much for them.


If valverde wins I will chop his head off!

 

[auscyclefan94]

Gilbert
Ivanov
Kroon

 

[issoisso]

If valverde wins I will chop his head off!

Unlike Evans, he wishes someone had stepped on his dog years ago. Preferably before Puerto

 

[ErmOkk]

Gilbert
Ivanov
Kroon

Hmm as far as I hope that Gilbert does win the amstel (I'm belgian, don't shoot me), he probably won't. Ok his October 2009 was awesome, but this is April... Still fresh men, a lot more of competition, so probably just not this times again .